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attheexactlyrighttimeandplace · 2 years

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Episode 7 review

Before the release of episodes 6 &7, an interview with the director Charlotte Brändström was published, in which she explained that the episodes given to her worked as two parters, almost an extended tv film and were like nothing done on the show before. She said that her role was mostly to deconstruct what was built by the previous directors: J.A. Bayona and Wayne Yip.

But what happened on screen seemed more than a deconstruction, it had the violence and the brutality of a destruction.

The casualties are unknown among civilians but the numbers must be very high considering the gravity of the wounds suffered by the survivors (almost all of them have been severely burned). And if for the main characters, it hasn't been the massacre that it could have been, it's still devastating: Ontamo died (how hard was it to see Isildur crying and trying desperately to reach him, while Valandil was dragging him away forcibly, to get him to focus on the survivors in need of help), Isildur is presumed dead, the queen regent Miriel is blind and Halbrand is seriously wounded (though it's not clear if it's a good or bad news in his case, i'm expecting his betrayal at any minute).

And so many relationships were shattered in the aftermath of the disaster, literally reduce to pieces, that i don't know what survived of them, what can be saved. I'm thinking mostly about all Elendil's relationships: with Isildur, Galadriel, The Queen Regent Miriel. His tragedy is the worst, he payed the highest price in those events which i think will cement forever his hate for Sauron and Mordor.

We're back at the level of sorrow that were the loss of Gandalf during the crossing of Moria and the death of Boromir, which both lead to the end of the Fellowship. The alliance between men and elves is dismantled once again, and everyone is going on separated paths, despite the promises made.

More on the plot:

The structure of this episode doesn't work for me: the writers should have picked only two subplots (and not three) and stick to them in order to give enough screen time to the survivors of the eruption. The story happening in Mordor should have been the plot A, and plot B should have been either Khazad Dûm or the Harfoots and the Stranger, not both.

Forcing three subplots had for effect a lack of screen time for Elendil (and many more survivors like Arondir and Bronwyn but this post is mostly about him). They had to cut many scenes that should have been essential for his characterization after the shock provoked by the announcement of Isildur's death:

the one where he should have returned to the village to check by himself if his son was really dead,

the one where he should have tried to follow his son's horse Berek and understand why he rebelled and refused to leave, instead of thinking he was just sad.

Instead we saw a horse showing more determination to find his master than a father to search his son, taking the words of the queen Miriel and Valandil as definitive truth, as if he's not connected to Isildur by an invisible bond that can overpower even his seemingly undeniable death.

A man like Elendil, that has King and Destiny literally written on his face, a role of leader to assume in Nùmenor soon, should never gave up hope. Especially after he saw Theo coming back with Galadriel, and being reunited with his mother. He should have stayed behind, leading the company that the Nùmenoreans left to search the eventual survivors, with retentless determination until he finds Isildur alive or he finds his body. He should have done that i suppose he hasn't been able to do for his wife, when she drowned. It's what he owes her in all cases: to protect her son, their children.

He also turned his back very abruptly on the two women that meant the most for him in term of values and allegiance. It's a very cruel thing to do to me as his fan, i was invested deeply in those relationships and i don't get what's going on:

Is his sudden surge of hate against Galadriel only something due to the emotional shock provoked by Isildur's death or does he really think he should have never rescued her? Does he blame the loss and destruction he suffered on her only or on the alliance between men and elves too? I'm confused: it's impossible for the writers to change the canon but how are they going to keep him a friend of the elves and the leader of The Faithful (if they intend to do this arc) while he blames an elf for the death of his son? Is Isildur's return going to fix magically everything? Does Galadriel know that Isildur is dead? I get it: she could not bear to face Elendil, while he was showing so much hostility, but she didn't even try to talk to him to tell him she knows what he feels because she lost her brother Finrod and her husband Celeborn, which seems cold and a truly missed opportunity. So what's the point of the scene of the last episode where she met Isildur if she's not going to express any emotion about his supposed death?

He ignored the queen and this left me even more sad, considering how much she lost (her eyesight, her army, the battle, the trust of her people) and how strong and stoic she was trying to be for everyone. I got the impression from the trailer of episode 8 that he doesn't judge her responsible like Galadriel, which means his new attitude towards Galadriel makes even less sense. Both women clearly worked together on equal foots to make an alliance and prepare this battle, and they even renewed their promises in front of him despite his tears and the loss of Miriel's eyesight. So will he still support her when they'll reach Nùmenor? She's a faithful (to the Valar and the elves) just like him but given his reaction to her decision to come back and unleash hell on Sauron, i'm not sure anymore what direction the writers want to take with this relationship.

I enjoy like everyone a good story, full of tragedy, and what makes a a more gripping tale than a father and a son who love each other dearly but are separated? How could i not be compelled by the vision of the queen regent Miriel softly wiping away the tears of Galadriel and renewing her oath to make an alliance with the Elves and take down Sauron and his new realm?

But the sobs of Elendil were impossible to watch because it didn't feel right at this point of the story to hit him like this, especially after the tenderness he showed to his son in the last episode.

I said in another post that i was surprised that the writers gender swapped entirely this trope of having women crying over the victims of the wars lead by men, by making him the one who cried while Galadriel and the queen regent Miriel want to continue the war. But the fact the women are the ones in power in this fight, didn't feel compelling enough to appease my frustration at what the writers are doing to us his fans, by taking away everything that have become relatable, familiar and likeable about him: his allegiances, his family and love interests.

I fear that the trust is broken for good and that he won't let women, any woman now, lead him in war or anything else.

As Eärien's anti elves positions have been growing a lot lately, since basically Galadriel's arrival to the island, i fear that his return to Nùmenor will be even more painful: will he have to face her reproach too? Letting him without any female support? I won't bear it he loses her too and ends with no emotional bond with what's left of his family, Anarion being currently with the Faithful in the West (but the intention to make him join his family starting the next episode or during season 2 is clear). I can only hope that Isildur's “death” will be the turning point for the brother and sister to gather around their father Elendil and reaffirm their loyalty to each other.

I don't know for sure why the writers are butchering "descontructing" Elendil characterization when it comes to his family, but I have a theory that's it's linked to the reasons they have to break his relationship with Galadriel. I think they chose to separate them because they couldn't do anymore or didn't want to do anymore the romance, they started to develop in the subtext since they met in episode 3, and that's why her husband Celeborn has been so unceremoniously included in this episode, in violation of all rules about consistency and continuity. He's taking Elendil's place in the triangle formed with Halbrand.

The writers had until now a very good habit to make transitions and leave signs that foreshadowed the things to come, so i was really mad at them at first for being so careless, for their lack of attention with Elendil and sudden interest for Celeborn (all the more that Galadriel's motivations were all about Finrod until now, and yet he was never mentioned in this episode).

But then i remembered that the scenes of Elendil’s family were cut since their introduction to the show. Isildur and Eärien were supposed to have initially a longer scene on the beach in episode 3. I've read some infos shared by Ema Horvath (Eärien) in a interview in which she explained that Isildur and Eärien were discussing in the deleted scene the death of their mother and what caused it. Episode 5 Partings clearly have some missing scenes too: we never saw Eärien talking to Elendil and Isildur before their departure for war while she chased Pharâzon to convince him to oppose it (!). The director and the writer deleted all form of conflict between them and let only the silent but emotional farewell (full of angst and longing) with Isildur.

It really feels like the writers had an arc but weren't satisfied with it and went back to cut Elendil's scenes and his children's scenes too to rewrite it. Why else would Elendil, the hero of this story, and his family have less screentime than Bronwyn and Arondir or Halbrand? They changed too some dialogues here and there. As said by the actors the drowning of Elendil's wife was supposed to be discussed by their children Isildur and Eärien earlier, not revealed during a scene with Galadriel, without following or context to help us understand if it had a romantic subtext (which i think it had), and what it means for Galadriel and Elendil that he hasn't recovered yet, that he is still grieving his wife.

So now it looks like creating a shock wave (with Isildur’s death) was the writers only way to justify the reorganization of Elendil’s arc. I suppose they will keep him busy with the civil war coming in Nùmenor, that's why had to return with the queen, but they never talked before about his involvement in the conflict between the King's Men (who reject the Valar and the Elves) and The Faithful (who want to reactivate the past alliance) in the way Lloyd Owen talked about it in his interview.

Surprisingly, this Elendil seems like an alternate version so far of the man he supposed to be in the Appendices of LOTR, even though this text is the basis of this adaptation. He defined himself as petty lord, not the High King of the Dùnedain and the descendent of Elros he's supposed to be. He's not even the leader (yet) of The Faithful and it's his wife's political engagement with them that lead him to join them too. There's no sign of his father Amandil while i had hope that the show could answer to the mystery that was his destiny after he left Nùmenor.

At this point, i'm forced to stop: i only have questions for his arc and no answers. So let's let it rest and keep hope that next season will bring some kind of justice for him.

Still on this concept of two subplots only, i would have kept as plot B the Harfoots and the Stranger and ignored Khazad Dûm, mostly because i'm tired of Durin's obsession with Elrond. There's only elf lies on Elrond's side (it was obvious that he let Durin win only to appease his anger and talk him in episode 2), and yet the more Durin discovers the lies, the more he seems determined to ignore them and to keep looking at Elrond with stars in his eyes, like a fanboy. It's not more crazy than Disa's reaction, who become literally hysterical when Durin III rejected Elrond's offer.

I really never would have imagined her insulting her father-in-law and making plans to overthrow him. It was just foolish and scary. It's even less acceptable considering that Durin III had the most reasonable arguments: he really saw the big picture (balancing the risk for his people with what the elves were offering), has a vision for his kingdom, and gave an answer that is the one i would expect from a king protecting his realm. While his son is a ball of misplaced loyalty, ambition and insecurities, fueled by his wife's desire to rule. All resemblance with shakespearian characters intended.

I really don't get how they have gone so fast from the most adorable couple of the year to plotting a coup....

In my view the genuine tears and thus authentic bond in this episode, excluding the sobs that happened in the wake of the eruption, were the tears of The Stranger after he realized that he almost hurt Nori and her little sister. Man, this actor has really mastered the way to play with his eyes and expressions without saying one word! He broke my heart with one glance (he's been doing it since episode 1 but i never got the chance to praise him like he deserves it)!

I gave up completely my theory that he could be Sauron, so the writers better stay on this path that could lead him to be the most badass and mysterious character of the show (as much mysterious as Sauron and as badass as Galadriel or Arondir). Gandalf or not, i want to feel again the level of awe that his entrance inspired in episode 1.

But he's not the only reason that made the arc of the Harfoots in this episode so compelling. The writers clearly have upped their game when they introduced The Mystics (I loved the gothic visuals used for them this time: their scenes had an exciting and superb fairy tale vibe). Connecting the Harfoots to the bigger evil threat without cutting their internal communal conflicts was a winning move.

The crushed confidence of Nori and her legit anxious feelings didn't disappear after episode 5, and have contamined all the community with the incident with the tree. It was quite sad and so evidently unavoidable, I really didn't want them to part away with The Stranger, but i can't deny that he was too strong and too little in control of his powers to stay with them. But it was also presented in a way that kept their separation soft, warm and compelling to watch.

That's why i adore the little conversation that The Stranger had with Sadoc: because of all the regrets and gentleness i could feel on both sides. The scene where Nori offered him an apple to express her feelings of friendship is so lovely and warm, so pure and full of genuine sentiments, it reedemed everyone. So when later despite the terrible encounter they had with The Mystics in which they lost all they had, they decided collectively that it was necessary to warn him and help him, it was the cherry on the top of this sweet cake.

It's not all rainbows and unicorns though. As cute as Nori is, i really don't get why she talked to the Mystics instead of staying hidden? What went through her head? She caused such destruction by talking to the wrong strangers, as if what happened with the first Stranger wasn't a lesson. Her community lost all the food and the carts, they were lucky to still be alive, but nobody ever blamed her for it….

But they won me over with their sense of solidarity and collective decision making. I could more than see the characters development here, i experienced it emotionally: the Harfoots which i didn't want in the show after episode 1 have become more important to me, than the dwarves that seemed so cool and nice at the start of the show.

Next step to make them even more adorable: create the circumstances in which they are the ones who find Berek and save a severely wounded Isildur. I trust the writers to find a way to use the common love for apples between the Harfoots and Isildur and his horse to make them cross each other's paths. After helping Gandalf's doppleganger, they're ready to save Aragorn's great great great etc "grandpa".

More about Galadriel and Celeborn in the next post...